Air brake



May 12,1936.

c. w. lcKEs ET A1.

AIR BRAKE Filed Jan. 24', 1935 INVENTOR.

K ATTORNEY.

Patented May 12,` 1936 `UNVr-.ED .STATES PATENT oFFlcE AIR BRAKE ClarenceW. Ickes and ATheodore I. Ickes, Monte Vista, 0010.

Application January 24, 1935, Serial No. 3,214

4 Claims. (015303-151) 'This invention lrelates to an improvementl in positethe auxiliary reservoir I0, and is connected air brakes for railway trains. With the present to the brake pipe I3 through `a lateral pipe I5, brake systems, it is practically impossible to and a triple ,valve pipe I6. The brake cylinder simultaneously apply the brakes throughout the II is connected by means of a brake cylinder pipe length of along train. When the brakes are ap- I'I to the triple valve. The exhaust from the plied, those on the engine .and the front cars triple valve is conducted through an exhaust will Aprecede those on :the .rear cars, causing the pipe I8. y A v cars to pile together, resulting indamageto roll- As thus .far described, .this system is identical ing stock and freight. When the brakes are in connections and in use to `the `usual air brake released, they release .first upon the front of a system. Should the engineer decide to apply the 10 long train, allowing the front cars to pull away brakes .with such .a system he reduces the presand run out the stack to toward `the rear `of the ISure in the brake pipe I3 through his engineers train.y This also results in damage to rolling valve. The reduced brake pipe pressure allows stock and freight. the auxiliary reservoir pressure to actuate the The principal object of this invention is to triple valve I2, allowing high pressure air to ow 15 provide a simple mechanism which will -enable from the auxiliary reservoir I0 through the brake the engineer to `simultaneously apply and simulcylinder pipe Il to the brake cylinder II to aptaneously release all ofthe brakes throughout the ply the brakes. An increase in pressure in the entire length of atrain, `regardless of fthe length brake pipe I3 actuates the triple valve to close thereof, .thus holding the cars constantly in their the port `to the auxiliary reservoir I0, and allow 20 relative positions `without piling or slacking. the air from ,the brake cylinder II to escape Other objects `of the invention are: `to lprovide through the exhaust pipe I8. The invention insimultaneous applicationV and release means terferes in no way with this usual use of the which will not-in any way interfere with the inpresent systems.

25 stallation and use of the present brake gsystems The invention is applied to the above `described 25 and which willrequire only minor `additions system byconnecting a by-pass pipe I9 between thereto;-which will allow Vcars not equipped with the brake cylinder I I and the lateral pipe I5. the invention to be vused in trains with equipped This `by-pass pipe I9 is controlled by means of an cars; vwhich will allow the train line andauxiliary electric service valve 20, which may also control reservoirs to be recharged Without releasing the the exhaust pipe I8. 30 brakes; which will be economical in the use -of The -service valve 20 is electrically operated air; and which Will be inexpensive to install and and comprises a solenoid ZI, the energizing of operate. which, actuates an armature rod 22 connected Other objects and advantages reside in the with aslide valve member 23. As illustrated, the detail construction of the invention, which is solenoid'Zl -moves the slide valve 23 in one direc- 35 designed for simplicity, economy, and eciency. tion and a spring 24 returns the valve in theA These will become more apparent from the folother direction. The slide valve is enclosed in lowing description. a suitable valve housing 43.

In the following detailed description of the inY The valve housing 43 "is arranged to receive vention reference is had to the accompanying the .by-pass pipe I9 and the exhaust pipe I8. 4g

drawing which forms a part hereof. ALike nu- The slide valve member 23 is provided with a merals refer to like parts in all views of the by-,pass port 25 arranged to register with the drawing and throughout the description. Icy-pass Apipe I9 and `anexhaust port 26 arranged In the drawing:- to register with the exhaust ,pipe I8 when the Fig. 1 illustrates a typical railway car brake solenoid vis energized. The solenoid is connected K4.5 piping system with the invention applied thereto. by means of a live conductor 39 with a source Fig. 2 is a `detail vertical section through the of electrical energy 42 and by means of a control service valve employed in the invention. conductor All With a switch contact 4U of a switch Fig. 3 is a similar section through the releas- 41 in the engineers cab. When the switch 4I 59 ing valve. is closed against the contact 40', the port 25 will 50 In Fig. 1, the usual parts of an air brake sysalign with the pipe I9 and when the switch is tem are designated by numerals as follows: auxopened the spring 24 will `return 'the port 26 to iliary reservoir I0, brake cylinder II, triple valve alignment with the exhaust pipe I8. I.2, brake pipe I3, cut out cock I4. The ,triple Let us assume that the engineers valve is in '55 valve I2 is preferably connected immediately opthe running position and that the brakes are re- 5s leased. If the engineer desires to apply all train brakes simultaneously he places his valve in the lap position to prevent escape of air from the brake pipe I3 and closes the switch 4I to contact 40. This energizes the solenoids 2I of each car throughout the length of the train, causing all of the slide valves 23 on the train to be actuated simultaneously. 'Ihis opens the lay-pass pipes I9 of each car, allowing the brake pipe pressure to flow from the train line I3 directly into the brake cylinders II. This pressure instantly starts application of all brakes. It also causes a reduction in pressure in the triple valve pipes I6 which actuates the triple valves to the service position, allowing air to flow through the brake cylinder pipe Il. The brakes throughout the length of the train are therefor instantaneously actuated.

After the initial movement, the switch 4I can, be opened, and the engineer can control the braking through his usual Valve and through the triple valves I2 in the ordinary manner. 'Ihe exhaust port 26 is not a necessary part of the braking application, but may be employed simply as an economical measure to prevent initial wastage of air through the exhaust pipe I8. This wastage is caused by the fact that at the time air is rst admitted through the by-pass pipe, the triple valve may be and usually is in the release position, having just completed exhausting air from the brake cylinder II. Therefor, this initial air flowing back through the pipe I1 would exhaust through the pipe I8 for an instant before the triple valve acted. This is avoided by the port 26 which closes when the port 25 opens so as to prevent wastage of air through the exhaust pipe I8, until the contact 40' is opened to allow the usual pneumatic control of the brakes.

We have now described the braking action of the invention. It is also designed to provide simultaneous release of the brakes as Well as application thereof. This is accomplished by installing on each car a releasing reservoir 21 connected by means of a releasing pipe 28 to the triple valve pipe I6 through a suitable T-tting 29 or in any other desired manner. The releasing pipe 28 is controlled by an electrically operated releasing valve 38 Shown in detail in Fig. 3. Pressure is supplied to the releasing reservoir 2l through a supply pipe 3I in which a check valve 32 is installed.

The releasing valve 30 is constructed similarly to the service valve 20, that is, it has an operating solenoid 33, an armature rod 34; a return spring 35 and a slide valve member 36. The slide valve member contains a port 3l which will open and close the releasing pipe 28. The solenoid 33 is`connected to the live conductor 39 and to a second control conductor 38 with `a second contact 38' at the switch 4 I.. Thus throwing the switch 4I in one way will close the contact.40 and throwing it the other way will close the contact 38. Ordinarily, the switch 4I is open and the slide valve member 36 is closed as shown in Fig. 3. Pressure is constantly supplied to the releasing reservoir 21 from the brake pipe I3 through the feed pipe 3l past the check valve 32.. The latter prevents return ow.

Let us assume that the brakes are applied and that the engineer desires to release them simul- `taneously throughout the entire train length. I-Ie simply closes the switch 4I on the contact 38 Vwhich brings the ports 31 of al1 of the cars simultaneously in register with their releasing pipes 28. This allows pressure to flow from each of the releasing reservoirs 21 immediately into the triple valves I2, causing the latter to be simultaneously actuated to the full release position to discharge the air from all of the brake cylinders II. This causes an instant initial release of the brakes and the amount of the release can be controlled by the engineer through his usual engineers valve by Controlling the pressure in the brake pipe I3. The releasing valves 30 need only be employed for the initial simultaneous actuation of the triple valves. They do not in any way interfere with the control of the latter by the engineer in the usual way.

The three conductors 38, 39 and 40 run throughout the length of each car and are provided with suitable attachment iittings at the car extremities so that they may be connected to the conductors of adjacent cars so as to be continuous throughout the length of the train. 'I'he switch 4I can be installed at any convenient position in the cab and the electrical supply 42 may be from a generator on the engine or tender.

It is desired to call attention to the following advantages ofthe invention over the usual air brake system. It allows greater pressure to be applied to the brake cylinders II than is present in the auxiliary reservoir I0, since the pressure can flow directly into the brake cylinders from the brake pipe I3 as long as service valves 28 are left open. The invention also allows the auxiliary reservoirs to be recharged without releasing the brakes. This can be done by placing the service valves 20 in the service position so as to maintain pressure in the brake cylinders, and placing the engineers valve in the full release and charging position, which will allow air to flow from the brake pipe to the auxiliary reservoir. When in this position, air can not discharge from the brake cylinders Il since the discharge pipes I8 are closed by the service valve 20. If a car equipped with the invention is made up in a train not equipped, the usual operation of the brakes on the car in the usual way is not interfered with.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent 1s:-

1. The combination with an air brake system having a triple valve, an auxiliary reservoir, a brake cylinder, and a brake line; of a releasing reservoir; a pipe connecting said releasing reservoir direct to said triple valve; a lateral pipe connecting said first pipe with said brake line; means for supplying pressure to said releasing reservoir from said brake line; and an electrically operated valve positioned in said rst pipe between said releasing reservoir and said lateral pipe.

2. The combination with an air brake system having a triple valve, an auxiliary reservoir, a brake cylinder, and a brake line; of a releasing reservoir; a pipe connecting said releasing reservoir direct to said triple valve; a lateral pipe connecting said rst pipe with said brake line; means for supplying pressure to said releasing reservoir from said brake line; an electrically operated valve positioned in said iirst pipe between said releasing reservoir and said lateral pipe; means for supplying air from said triple valve to said brake cylinder; a bypass pipe between said brake line and said brake cylinder; and an electrically operated valve for controlling the ow through said by-pass pipe.

3. The combination with an air brake system having a triple valve, an auxiliary reservoir, a brake cylinder, and a brake line; of a releasing reservoir; a pipe connecting said releasing reservoir direct to said triple valve; a, lateral pipe connecting said first pipe with said brake line; means for supplying pressure to said releasing reservoir from said brake line; an electrically operated valve positioned in said first pipe between said releasing reservoir and said lateral pipe; means for supplying air from said triple valve to said brake cylinder;. a by-pass pipe between said brake line and said brake cylinder; an electrically operated valve for controlling the ow through said by-pass pipe; an exhaust pipe from said triple valve; and means for controlling the flow through said exhaust pipe by said latter electrically operated valve.

4. The combination with an air brake system having a triple valve, a brake cylinder, and a brake line; of a by-pass pipe extending between said brake line and said brake cylinder; an exhaust pipe extending from said triple valve; and an electrically operated valve positioned in both said by-pass pipe and said exhaust pipe so arranged that when said by-pass pipe is opened said exhaust pipe will be closed.

CLARENCE W. ICKES. THEODORE P. ICKES. 

